Sep 5, 2010

Guest Artist Edwina Halsey

My husband and I live in Southampton, Long Island, NY in a lovely converted beach house right on the water with our two standard poodles. My studio is in my house over looking the water. It is The Blue Door Studio and sitting looking at the water and the beautiful sunsets gives me great inspiration. I work with acrylics in a naive, folk art style and have been very blessed.

I started painting at age 50 when I took few tole painting lessons. I entered a members only art show at the Water Mill Museum. I picked up the paper work on a Friday, only to be told that the finished piece had to be there by Monday. In the meantime I had to fill out the paper work that wanted to know name of piece, type of paint, size of canvass, etc. I had absolutely no idea so I fudged it, delivered the painting on Monday and it sold right away. My husband was in Argentina at the time, and I think I spent more money on phone calls to him and the rest of my family than I got for the piece!

The lady who bought it, became a collector and has several pieces of mine now.

I've had a few very personal problems that have set me back as far as my painting is concerned, but I have been praying and feeling much better and am anxious to get back to painting.

I paint on canvases most of the time, but paint on wood especially for the holidays. When I first started painting I had a black standard poodle, BlackJack, and you will see him in all my paintings. At first he was just kind of sitting around, but then he got braver and started flying by-planes, toboggoning, all sorts of things. I lost BlackJack when he was 8, 9 years ago, but I now have a silver standard, Shadow, who is a love, and parti-poodle, black and white, Patches, who fills my life with laughter.

The very first gallery I approached about carrying my work, was Chrysalis. I knew when I walked into the gallery it was the one for me. They had a big black poodle too.

Kismet. Been there over ten years. Love it.

I have been asked to do a one person show at the Halsey House Historical Museum so that will be my winter project. I've done the 2001 Bridgehampton Horse Classic poster (if you go to www.bridgehamptonhorseclassic.com and then to posters you can see it). And, also the East Hampton Ladies Village Improvement Society poster, and mine was the first time they actually made money on the poster. Of course, BJ and I were there to sign them. Also,the horse show ordered 1000 extra of mine!

Eighteen Yellow Roses done for Dodd Darin (Bobby Darin's son). This actually the occasion of Bobby's tenth year in show business. Sandra Dee (his wife) is sitting right in front of the stage. You will notice I painted 17 yellow roses around the boarder, with Dodd (he was only 5 or 6 at the time) giving his mother the 18Th. yellow rose. That is a song Bobby wrote by the way. Yes I am a HUGE fan of his. Anyway, in the audience is Elvis, also a fan, Sammy Davis,Jr. Elizabeth Taylor, BlackJack is a waiter. I sent this to Dodd

This was done for the Halsey House Historical Fdn. here in Southampton, NY. It was auctioned off the night of the Gala. My husband is a direct descent of the first Thomas Halsey, one of the founding fathers of Southampton. The Shinnecock Indians were here at the time and very helpful to the white man. Behind Thomas's house you can see Phoebe (his wife) in her garden. If you look closely, you will see two Indians in the bushes. They were Piquit Indians from Ct. who didn't like the idea of the white men being here, so they scalped Phoebe and tried to blame the Shinnecocks. Chief Wyandanche of the Montauk Indians found the two murdering Indians, they were tried, and executed.

Birthday party at Roy Scheider's house. He purchased this and hung it while I was there. BJ is in line for a piece of cake.

Painting class at Montauk Light house

Umbrella I painted for charity.

This panel is the Shinnecock golf course, with BlackJack helping the golfer line up his ball. All eight panels were a different scene. Really nice and very special.